Беседа 7

The wisdom of the philosophers has become madness. – Many of the sacred books have been lost. – The teachings of Christ are confirmed by miracles and the fulfillment of what He predicted. 1 Corinthians 2:6–7. We preach wisdom among the perfect, but not the wisdom of this age and not the passing powers of this age, but we preach the secret, hidden wisdom of God, which God ordained before the ages for our glory. 1. For patients with eyes, darkness seems better than light; That’s why they like to be in darker dwellings. The same thing happened with spiritual wisdom: the wisdom of God seemed like madness to the pagans, and their wisdom, which really is madness, was considered wisdom by them. The same thing happened to them as if someone, knowing the art of the helmsman, promised to sail across the boundless sea without a ship and sails and tried to prove with his intellects that this was possible, and another, completely inexperienced, boarded the ship and entrusted himself to the helmsman and the sailors, and thus made the voyage safely. The apparent ignorance of the latter would be wiser than the wisdom of the former. The ability to steer is, of course, excellent; but when it promises too much, it becomes madness; so is any knowledge that is not kept within its limits. So external wisdom would be wisdom if it received the Spirit; but since she appropriated everything to herself and thought that she had no need for higher help, she became madness, although she seemed to be wisdom. Therefore, Paul, having first denounced it by its very deeds, then called it foolishness, and first called the wisdom of God foolishness, in accordance with the opinion of the pagans, then he proves that it is true wisdom - and after the proof it is very easy to shame opponents - and says: wisdom is a word among the perfect. If I, considered a madman and a preacher of madness, have overcome the wise, then the victorious wisdom is not madness, but the most perfect wisdom and is so much superior to external wisdom that it seems madness. Having first called her as the pagans then called her, and having proven her superiority by her very deeds, and having convicted them of extreme madness, he then calls her by her proper name and says: “We preach wisdom among the perfect.” He calls wisdom and the method of salvation through the cross; He calls believers perfect. Truly perfect are those who know that everything human is very weak, despise all this and are sure that it serves them nothing; and such are the believers. “But the wisdom is not of this age.” What is external wisdom really useful for, which is limited to this world and does not extend beyond it, and even here cannot bring any benefit to those who possess it? Here he calls the authorities of the age not demons, as some think, but people invested with distinction and power and who regard it as something very important, philosophers, rhetoricians and writers, who also often possessed power and were people's leaders. He calls them the powers of this age because their power does not extend beyond the present age: therefore he adds: transitory, and thus proves the insignificance of external wisdom both by its very property and by the property of those who possess it. Having proved that she is false and insane, that she cannot reveal anything, that she is powerless, now he shows that she is short-lived. “But we preach the hidden wisdom of God.” What secret? Christ said: “Whatever you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops” (Matthew 10:27). Why does Paul call it a mystery? Because neither angel, nor archangel, nor any other created power knew it before it was revealed. That is why the apostle says: “so that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known through the church to the principalities and powers in heaven” (Eph. 3:10). God honored us so much that they heard it with us; and in relation to friends, we consider it a sign of our friendship with them when we do not reveal secrets to anyone before them. Let those who boast of preaching, indiscriminately offer pearls of teaching to everyone, throw the holy thing to dogs and pigs, and, moreover, with unnecessary wisdom, listen. The mystery does not allow embellishment, but what it is is exactly what it is proclaimed; it will no longer be a divine secret and intact if you add to it something of your own. It is also called a mystery because we contemplate in it not what we see, but we see one thing and believe another. This is the nature of our sacraments. I look at them differently, otherwise I am unfaithful. I hear that Christ was crucified, and I am amazed at His love for mankind; the infidel hears and considers it powerless. I hear that Christ became a slave, and I am amazed at His providence; The infidel hears it and considers it dishonorable. I hear that Christ died, and I am amazed at His power, how He, having undergone death, was not restrained by it, but still destroyed death; the infidel hears and attributes it to His weakness. Hearing about the resurrection, he calls it a fable; and I, convinced of this by the very events, worship the economy of God. Hearing about baptism, he imagines water alone; and I see not only the visible, but also the invisible cleansing of the soul accomplished by the Spirit. He thinks that my body has only been washed; but I believe that the soul has become pure and holy, and I imagine the tomb, resurrection, sanctification, justification, redemption, adoption, inheritance, the heavenly kingdom, the gift of the Spirit, since I look at what is visible not with simple sight, but with spiritual eyes. It is said about the body of Christ, and I understand what is said differently, otherwise I am an infidel. 2. Children, seeing a book, do not understand the meaning of what is written and do not understand what they see, the same happens with every illiterate person; Meanwhile, someone who knows how to read and write will find meaning in what is written, entire biographies and narratives; also, having received a letter, an illiterate person will see only paper and ink, but a literate person will hear the voice of the absent person, will talk with him, and through the letter will answer him whatever he wants. The same thing happens with the sacraments: the infidels, hearing about them, seem to have not heard; and believers, being taught by the Spirit, understand the power of the unseen. That is why Paul says that even now “the gospel is veiled”: “to those who are perishing,” he says, “it is veiled” (2 Cor. 4:3). On the other hand, with the word “mystery” he expresses that preaching is something extraordinary; This is what Scripture usually calls what happens beyond hope and beyond human understanding. That is why in another place it is said: “my secret is both for me and mine” 11; and again Paul says: “I tell you a mystery: we will not all die, but we will all be changed” (1 Cor. 15:51). Although it is preached everywhere, yet it is a mystery. We are commanded to speak to the roof what we have heard in our ears (Matthew 10:27), and we are commanded not to give “what is holy to dogs,” and not to cast “pearls... before swine” (Matthew 7:6), because some are spiritual people and do not understand, others have a veil over their hearts and do not see. Therefore, it is all the more a mystery that, although it is preached everywhere, it is not comprehended by those without sound understanding, and is revealed not with the help of wisdom, but by the Holy Spirit, as much as we can contain. Therefore, the one who, as a result of this, calls it an unknown mystery will not be in error - after all, we believers have not been given complete and perfect knowledge, as Paul says: “We know in part, and we prophesy in part. Now we see through a glass darkly, but then face to face” (1 Cor. 13:9, 12). That is why he says: “we preach the wisdom of God, secret, hidden, which God ordained before the ages for our glory.” Secret, i.e. one that none of the heavenly powers knew before us, or which even now many do not know. This is what the words express: “which He predestined for our glory”; and in another place he says: “k... “His glory” (Eph. 1:12), because God considers our salvation to be His glory, as well as His riches, although He Himself is a treasure of goods and does not need anyone to be rich. He intended, he says, expressing God’s care for us. Usually those are considered the most caring for us and loving us, who have long been disposed to do good to us, just as parents do with their children: although they give them property later, they are disposed to do so for a long time and from the very beginning. So Paul is trying to show here that God has loved us from ancient times and always, even when we did not yet exist; If He did not love us, He would not have destined wealth for us. Therefore, do not think about past enmity - love is older than it. The words: before the ages mean eternity, just as in another place it is said: “He who was before the ages” (Ps. 54:20). It will also be proven that the Son is eternal, because it is said about Him: “through whom He also created the worlds” (Heb. 1:2); this means that He exists before the ages, because the Creator, without a doubt, exists before creatures. “Which none of the authorities of this age knew; For if they had known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory” (1 Cor. 2:8). But if they crucified because of foolishness, then that means they are not guilty? And one more thing: if they did not understand, then why did Christ say to them: “You know Me, and you know where I come from” (John 7:28)? Scripture says about Pilate that he did not understand; Probably Herod also did not understand. They can be called the princes of this century. If anyone says that this refers to Jews and priests, he will not sin; and Christ said to them: “You know neither Me nor My Father” (John 8:19). How did He say above: “And you know Me, and you know where I come from”? However, what is the meaning of both sayings, this has already been said when explaining the Gospel; and therefore, in order not to repeat the same thing too often, we send those who wish there. 3. What then? Have the Jews been forgiven their sin regarding the cross, according to the word of Christ: “forgive them” (Luke 23:34)? If they repented, then they are forgiven. And Paul, who raised many hands against Stephen and persecuted the Church, became the defender of the Church. Thus, the sin was forgiven for those of them who wanted to repent, about which Paul says: “So I ask: did they really stumble in order to completely fall? No way" . And again: “Has God really rejected His people? No way" . Then, as proof that repentance is not closed to them, he cites his own conversion: “for I also am an Israelite” (Rom. 11:11, 1-2). The word: “they did not know,” it seems to me, is said here not in relation to Christ, but in relation to the work of God’s economy, i.e. they did not understand what death and the cross meant. And here Christ did not say: they do not know Me, but: “they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34), that is, they do not understand the economy and sacraments that are taking place. They did not understand that the cross would shine so brightly, that it would bring about the salvation of the universe and the reconciliation of God with people, that their city would be taken and that they would be subjected to extreme disasters. Paul calls Christ, the cross, and the sermon wisdom. But it is not in vain that he here calls Christ the Lord of glory. Since the cross seemed to be a sign of dishonor, it shows that there is great glory in the cross. Great wisdom was needed in order not only to know God, but also to understand such an economy of God; external wisdom was an obstacle not only to the first, but also to the last. “But as it is written, “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor entered into the heart of man the things that God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Cor. 2:9). Where is this written? This is also said when something is depicted not in words, but in actions themselves, as for example in narratives, or when the same thought is expressed, although not in the same words, as here; for example, the words: “they will see what was not told to them, and they will know what they have not heard” (Is. 52:15) - mean the same as the words: “no eye has seen, no ear has heard.” Thus the apostle either expresses this, or perhaps it was really written in the books, but the books themselves have been lost. In fact, many books have been lost and only a few have survived since the first captivity. This is clear from the book of Chronicles. So the apostle says that “all the prophets, from Samuel and after him, ... foretold” about Him (Acts 3:24); but this is not visible, while Paul, as well versed in the law and speaking at the inspiration of the Spirit, probably knew everything exactly. But what am I saying about captivity? Many books were lost even before the captivity, when the Jews fell into extreme wickedness. This is evident from the end of the fourth book of Kings, where it is said that Deuteronomy was hardly found somewhere in an unclean place (2 Kings 22:8). Moreover, there are many prophecies of various meanings that are understandable only to the wisest and in which one can find many things that are unclear to others. So what? Has the eye not seen what God has prepared? I certainly didn’t see it: which of the people saw the dispensation of God that was about to take place? Has it really not even been heard by the ear and entered into the heart of man? Is this true? If the prophets foretold, how could it not be heard by the ear and entered into the heart of man? Definitely not included. The Apostle speaks not only about the prophets, but about all human nature. How? Haven’t the prophets even heard? They heard, but their prophetic hearing was not human hearing; they heard not as men, but as prophets. That is why Isaiah says: “He awakens 12 My ears, that I may listen” (Is. 50:4), meaning the application given by the Spirit. From this it is clear that before they heard, it did not enter into man’s heart, since after the gift of the Spirit the heart of the prophets was not a human heart, but a spiritual heart, as Paul himself says: “we have the mind of Christ” (1 Cor. 2:16). The meaning of his words is as follows: before the Spirit was given to us and unknown secrets were revealed, none of us, nor any of the prophets, understood them. And could it be otherwise if even the angels did not know them? What can we say after this about the princes of this age, if none of the people and even the powers on high knew this? What? The fact that by the seeming madness of preaching the universe will be conquered, nations will be converted, the reconciliation of God with people will be accomplished and such great benefits will be granted to us. How did we know this? “But to us,” he says, “God has revealed it by His Spirit” (1 Cor. 2:10). Not by external wisdom, which, like a despised servant, is not allowed to enter inside and penetrate into the secrets of the Lord. 4. Do you see what is the difference between this and that wisdom? One taught us what the angels did not know; but the external one did the opposite: not only did it not teach, but it also served as an obstacle to this and, when everything had already been accomplished, it overshadowed the events and humiliated the cross. Thus Paul honors us by showing that we have not only learned, and together with the angels, but also learned from the Spirit himself. Further, showing the importance of knowledge, he says that if the Spirit, who knows the mysteries of God, had not revealed this to us, we would not have known. So God was pleased to keep this matter secret. Therefore, we needed a teacher who knew this clearly. “For the Spirit,” he says, “tests all things, 13 even the depths of God. For which man knows what is in a man except the spirit of man that dwells in him? Likewise, no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. But we have not received the spirit of this world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we might know the things freely given to us by God” (1 Cor. 2:10-12). Here the word tests does not mean ignorance, but exact knowledge; He uses the same expression about God when he says: “Test the message of your hearts, what is the wisdom of the Spirit” (Rom. 8:27). Having spoken about the perfect knowledge of the Spirit, showing that it is equal to the knowledge of God, just as human knowledge is equal to itself, and proving that we have come to know everything from Him, and not otherwise than from Him, he continues: “Which we do not proclaim in words taught by human wisdom, but in words taught by the Holy Spirit, comparing spiritual with spiritual” (1 Cor. 2:13). Do you see how he exalted us with the dignity of a Teacher? We are as much wiser than the pagans as Plato is from the Holy Spirit. They have rhetoricians as their teachers, but we have the Holy Spirit. What does it mean: “considering the spiritual with the spiritual”? If there is any confusion regarding spiritual things, then we also provide explanations from spiritual objects; for example: I say that Christ was resurrected, that He was born of a Virgin, and to explain I cite evidence and types, Jonah's stay inside the whale and subsequent liberation, the birth of barren wives, Sarah, Rebecca and others, the growth of trees in paradise, while the seeds had not yet been sown, the rains had not shed, the furrows had not been made. Future events were outlined and foreshadowed, as if in the shadows, by the former, so that they would believe in them after their fulfillment. I also show how man came from the earth, how without any copulation a wife came from one husband, how the earth itself came from nothing, how everywhere and in everything the power of the Creator was sufficient. This is how I explain the spiritual to the spiritual and nowhere do I resort to external wisdom, to reasoning and conclusions. Pagan sages strain and torment their weak minds, and cannot explain in any way what they are talking about, but they also do the opposite, lead to greater confusion, increase darkness and bewilderment. That is why the apostle says: “comparing spiritual with spiritual.” Do you see how he proves that external wisdom is superfluous, and not only superfluous, but even hostile and harmful? He expressed this when he said: “lest the cross of Christ be made void” (1 Cor. 1:17), and: “lest your faith rest on the wisdom of men” (1 Cor. 2:5). And now he proves that those who hope and rely on her in everything cannot learn anything useful. “The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit” (1 Cor. 2:14). Therefore, first of all, it is necessary to reject it (external wisdom). How, you say, is external wisdom really worthy of rejection? After all, she too is God’s work. Where can you see this? No, God did not create it, but you invented it; Here the apostle calls wisdom excessive inquisitiveness and excessive eloquence. And if you say that he is talking here about the human mind, then in that case it’s your fault. You yourself humiliate him, using him for evil, to harm yourself and to resist God, and demanding from him what he does not have. You boast about him and rebel against God, which is why God exposed his powerlessness. So bodily strength is good; but when Cain did not use it as he should, God brought relaxation and shaking upon him. Wine is also good; but when the Jews began to use it immoderately, God completely forbade its use to the priests. So, when you began to use wisdom to resist God and attributed to it greater power than what it has, then He, rejecting you from human hope, showed its powerlessness. A soulful person is one who subordinates everything to cold reasoning and does not consider higher help necessary for himself; and this is madness. God gave us reason so that it would recognize and accept what is communicated from God, and not so that it would consider itself sufficient for itself. Beautiful and useful are the eyes; but if they wanted to see without light, then their beauty and their own strength would not bring them any benefit, but would also cause harm. Likewise, if the soul wants to see without the Spirit, it will serve as an obstacle to itself. How, you say, did she see on her own before? She had never seen it herself, but she had the creations in front of her, like a book. When people, not wanting to follow the path commanded by God and to cognize the Creator from the beauty of what is visible, entrusted the scepter of knowledge to speculation, they fell into powerlessness and the abyss of wickedness, allowed an abyss of evils and began to assert that nothing comes from nothing, but everything came from uncreated matter, from which countless heresies were born. In the strangest absurdities they agreed with each other, but in what they imagined somewhat sensibly, although as if in the shadows, they disagreed with each other, and in both cases they turned out to be funny. That nothing comes from nothing, they almost all unanimously affirmed and wrote, and with great zeal: so the devil entangled them with absurdities! And about useful objects, in which they apparently understood something as if in fortune-telling, they argued among themselves, such as, for example, that the soul is immortal, that virtue has no need for anything external, that people are good or evil not by necessity and not by the determination of fate. 5. Do you see the wiles of the devil? When he saw that people were saying something wicked, he arranged for everyone to agree on it, and when he saw that they were affirming something sound, he incited some against others, so that the absurd, being affirmed by general agreement, would not be destroyed, and the good, being understood differently, would be destroyed. See how the soul is always powerless and insufficient on its own. And this was not done in vain. If she, being like this, thinks she has no need for anyone and deviates from God, then what kind of madness would she not reach if she were not like this? If she, having received a mortal body, wanted to achieve too much, according to the false promise of the devil: “You will be like gods” (Gen. 3:5), then what kind of fall would she not have suffered if she had received an immortal body at the beginning? Even after this, through the unclean lips of the Manichaeans, she called herself unborn and originating from the being of God; Due to the same illness (pride), she invented gods recognized by the pagans. That is why, it seems to me, God made virtue difficult for her, in order to curb her and teach her humility. And we will show that this is true from the example of the Israelites, concluding from small to great. When the Israelites led a comfortable life and enjoyed peace, they fell into wickedness, not knowing how to take advantage of their prosperity. What about God? He gave them many laws to curb their self-will. These laws did not lead to virtue, but only served as a bridle for them, which did not allow them to indulge in idleness: look, listen to what the prophet says about them: “I gave them bad commandments.” What does it mean: unkind? Not much conducive to virtue; That’s why he adds: “decrees from which they could not live” (Ezek. 20:25). “The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit.” It is true: just as no one can see with their bodily eyes what is in heaven, so the soul itself (cannot comprehend) spiritual objects. And what do I say: in heaven? Even everything that is on earth. So, looking at a quadrangular tower from afar, we think that it is round; and such a thought is an optical illusion. Likewise, if someone judges distant objects by one inference, great laughter will follow; not only will he not say what they really are, but he will also consider them to be the opposite of what they really are. That is why the apostle adds: “because he considers it foolishness” (1 Cor. 2:14). This does not come from the properties of objects, but from the weakness of one who, with the eyes of the soul, cannot embrace their greatness. Then he adds the reason: “he cannot understand, because this must be judged spiritually,” i.e. what he proclaims requires faith and cannot be comprehended by reason, because the greatness of this far exceeds our weak reason. That’s why he says further: “But he who is spiritual judges all things, but no one can judge him” (1 Cor. 2:15). The one who sees sees everything and even what belongs to the one who does not see; and what pertains to it, none of those who do not see sees it. So it is here: we know ours and everything that belongs to the infidels, but they do not know ours. We know what the properties of present objects are and what the dignity of future ones is, what will happen to the world later, what punishment sinners will suffer and what the righteous will enjoy; We know that present goods have no dignity, and we denounce their insignificance - to judge means simultaneously and to denounce - but future ones are eternal and unchangeable. The spiritual person knows all this, and what punishment the spiritual person will suffer in the future life, and what the believer will enjoy after moving from here; but the spiritual one knows nothing of the kind. Therefore, to explain what was said, the apostle adds: “For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he can judge him? But we have the mind of Christ” (1 Cor. 2:16), i.e. we know what is in the mind of Christ, what He wants and what He has revealed to us. Since the apostle above said that the Spirit revealed to us, so that no one should deny the Son, he adds that Christ also revealed, expressing not that we know everything that Christ knows, but that all our knowledge is not human, and therefore subject to doubt, but is knowledge of the mind of Christ and spiritual. 6. The mind that we have on this matter is Christ’s, i.e. The knowledge that we have about the objects of faith is spiritual knowledge, and therefore no one can really judge us, since a spiritual person cannot know divine objects. That is why the apostle said: “Who understands the mind of the Lord,” asserting that our mind regarding these objects is His mind. And the words: “whoever will explain and” - he added not in vain, but in accordance with the above words: “spiritual... does not compete with anyone.” If no one can recognize the mind of God, then much less teach and correct it; This is what the words mean: “who will explain and.” Do you see how variously he refutes external wisdom and shows that the spiritual man knows more and better? Since the above reasons: “so that no flesh should boast”; “God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise”; “so as not to abolish the cross of Christ” - for the unbelievers might not seem too convincing, strong, necessary and useful, then he finally gives the main reason, i.e. that only in this way can we see and cognize objects that are lofty, mysterious and above us: and reason turned out to be insufficient because through worldly wisdom we cannot comprehend what is above us. Isn't it obvious how beneficial it is to receive teaching from the Spirit? This teaching is both the easiest and the clearest. “But we have the mind of Christ,” i.e. spiritual, divine, having nothing human in it; not Plato’s or Pythagorean’s, but Christ communicated his own to our minds. Let us be ashamed, beloved, and lead a virtuous life. Christ Himself represents the sign of great friendship by the fact that He revealed secrets to us: “I no longer,” He says, “do not call you slaves... but I called you friends, because I told you everything that I heard from My Father,” i.e. entrusted to you (John 15:14–15). If trust alone serves as a sign of friendship, then think what kind of love He expressed by entrusting us with secrets not only in words, but also by communicating them to us in reality. Let us be ashamed; and if Gehenna does not frighten us too much, then let it be worse than Gehenna for us - to turn out to be unappreciative and ungrateful to such a friend and benefactor. Let us do everything not as hired slaves, but as sons and freemen - out of love for our father, and let us stop clinging to the world in order to shame the pagans. Wanting now to compete with them, I am afraid that, by refuting them with words and the truth of the teaching, we will not be subjected to great ridicule in the reasoning of our lives, since they, being in error and not believing anything of ours, observe wisdom, and we are completely opposite. However, I will begin to say: perhaps, by trying to refute them, we will try to prove to be better than them in life itself. I said before that it would not have occurred to the apostles to preach what they preached if they did not have the grace of God, and that they not only would not have accomplished, but would not have undertaken such a great deed. We will now talk about the same subject and show that it would have been impossible for them to undertake or even think about it if Christ had not been with them, not only because they were weak against the strong, few against many, poor against the rich, unlearned against the wise, but also because the power of prejudice was great. You know that people have nothing stronger than a long-standing habit, and therefore, even if there were not twelve of them, even if they were not so humiliated, but at least on their side were another similar universe and a number of people equal to their opponents and even much larger, and then it would be difficult. Habit helped them, but innovation hindered them. Nothing outrages the soul more than the introduction of something new and unusual, even if it serves for the benefit, especially if it concerns worship and worship. How great this obstacle was I will explain later; but I will say in advance that there was another obstacle on the part of the Jews. Among the pagans, the apostles overthrew the gods and all their teaching; but they reasoned differently with the Jews: they rejected much of their teaching, but commanded them to worship God the Lawgiver; commanding to honor the Lawgiver, they said: do not obey in everything the law given from Him, such as regarding keeping the Sabbath, circumcision, offering sacrifices and other similar things. Thus, here not only were the sacrifices an obstacle, but also that they, while commanding the worship of God, commanded the abandonment of many of His laws. The pagans had great force of habit. 7. If the apostles had come out against people who had been stuck in habit only for ten years, I do not say for such a long time, against a few people, I do not say against the whole universe, then even in this case it would be difficult to make a change. And then philosophers and rhetoricians, fathers and grandfathers, great-grandfathers and further ancestors, land and sea, mountains and valleys, all barbarian tribes and all pagan peoples, wise and unlearned, leaders and subordinates, wives and men, young men and old men, masters and slaves, farmers and artisans, all residents of cities and villages, were given over to error. Hearing a sermon, they might say: what does this mean? Are all the inhabitants of the universe really in error, both sophists, and rhetoricians, and philosophers, and writers, both present and former, followers of Pythagoras and Plato, military leaders, dignitaries and kings, ancient inhabitants of cities and their founders, barbarians and Hellenes? Are twelve fishermen, tabernacle workers and tax collectors wiser than all of them? Who could allow this? However, they did not say or think this, but agreed and admitted that the apostles were the wisest of all, who therefore defeated everyone. And how great the power of habit is, you can see from the fact that it often acted stronger than the commandments of God. What am I saying: commandments? Even the blessings of God. So the Jews, receiving manna, desired garlic; Taking advantage of freedom, they remembered slavery and often regretted Egypt out of habit. So great is the power of habit! If you want to see this from external examples, then they say about Plato that, although he recognized the doctrine of the gods as an error, he nevertheless participated in festivals and everything else, because he could not overcome his habits and learned this from the example of his teacher. And this (Socrates), being suspected of some innovations, not only did not achieve what he wanted, but also lost his life, although he spoke in his own defense. How many people even now we see who are stagnant in wickedness out of prejudice and, being accused of paganism, cannot say anything solid, but only refer to their fathers, grandfathers and great-grandfathers! That is why some of the external (pagan writers) called habit second nature. But habit in objects of faith is even stronger; people change nothing with such difficulty as reverence for God. Along with the habit, there was no small obstacle - shame - to learn in extreme old age, and, moreover, from people considered unreasonable. And is it surprising that this happens to the soul, when habit has great power over the body? Under the apostles there was another, most powerful obstacle: they had to not only change such an ancient and long-standing habit, but also change it with danger. They did not simply incline from one habit to another, but from a safe habit to something that was fraught with danger. The believer immediately had to lose his property, be expelled, withdraw from his fatherland, endure extreme misfortunes, be hated by everyone, become a common enemy both for his own and for others. If they had turned from innovation to old customs, then this matter would have been difficult; but inclining from custom to innovation, and with such disasters, imagine what obstacles they encountered. Meanwhile, in addition to what had been said, they were faced with another, no less obstacle, which complicated the matter of change. Besides habit and danger, their very commandments were more difficult, and what they deviated from was easy and convenient. They called from adultery to chastity, from drunkenness to fasting, from laughter to tears and contrition, from covetousness to non-covetousness, from addiction to life to death, from tranquility to danger, and in everything they demanded extreme abstinence. “Foul language,” they said, “and idle talk and ridicule are not becoming for you” (Eph. 5:4), and they said this to those who knew nothing else but to indulge in drunkenness and satiety, whose celebrations consisted of nothing else but foul language, ridicule and all kinds of obscenity. Thus, the teaching (of the apostles) was painful not only because it required wisdom, but also because it was offered to people brought up in self-will, shamelessness, idle talk and vicious fun. Who among those accustomed to such a life would not be amazed to hear: “Whoever does not take up his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me,” and: “I did not come to bring peace, but a sword, for I came to divide a man from his father, and a daughter from her mother” (Matthew 10:38, 34–35)? Who would not doubt and go away, hearing: whoever does not renounce home and fatherland and possessions is not worthy of Me (Luke 14:33)? However, those who heard not only were not amazed and did not walk away, but ran and rushed to do difficult things and zealously accepted what was commanded. Who of those times would not have walked away, hearing that “for every idle word” we will give an answer (Matthew 12:36), “that whoever looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her” (Matthew 5:28), that he who is angry in vain will be cast into Gehenna (Matthew 5:22)? However, everyone came running, and many even exceeded what was commanded. What attracted them? Is it not clear the power of Him whom the apostles preached? If it were not so, but on the contrary, if they were in the place of those, and those in their place, then would it be easy to attract those who opposed? It's impossible to say. 8. Thus everything proves that divine power was at work here. Otherwise, tell me, how would they have convinced pampered and voluptuous people to lead a harsh and austere life? These were the commandments of the apostles. Let's see if their teaching was attractive? And it was such that it could turn away the infidels. While preaching, what did they say? They said that we should worship the Crucified One and honor as God the One who was born of a Jewish wife. Who would believe them if the divine power did not contribute to this? Everyone knew that Christ was crucified and buried; and no one saw that He was resurrected and ascended except the apostles. But would you say they inflamed people with promises and captivated people with seductive words? This very thing, even without all of the above, especially proves that our teaching is not false. Everything unpleasant was to come here, but pleasant things were promised after the resurrection. This, I repeat again, proves the divinity of our preaching. Why did none of the believers say: I do not accept and cannot bear this; Are you threatening me with unpleasant things here, but promising me pleasant things after resurrection? How else do we know that there will be a resurrection? Which of those who left returned here? Which of the dead were resurrected? Which of them said what would happen after leaving here? The believers did not think anything like that, but they laid down their souls for the Crucified One. Thus, this is most special and serves as proof of great power that people who had never heard anything like this were suddenly convinced by the apostles of such great truths and made ready to experience unpleasant things in practice, and to experience pleasant things only in hope. If they were deceiving, they would do the opposite: they would promise pleasant things here, but they would keep silent about the unpleasant, both present and future. This is exactly what deceivers and seducers do: they do not imagine anything harsh, unpleasant and painful, but everything is the opposite; This is what deception consists of. But many, you say, foolishly believed what was said? What are you saying? While they were pagans, they were not foolish, but when they turned to us, they became foolish? But the apostles took and brought to faith not other people and not from another universe. Moreover, these people adhered to paganism safely, and the adoption of our teaching was fraught with danger for them. Consequently, if they adhered to paganism with reasonable conviction, then, having lived in it for such a long time, they would not have abandoned it, especially since it was not safe to retreat from it. No, by the very essence of things they understood that paganism was ridiculous and absurd, and therefore, despite the death that threatened them, they retreated from their customs and resorted to a new teaching, seeing that the latter was in accordance with nature, and the former was contrary to nature. But the believers, you say, were slaves, women, nurses, old women and eunuchs? No, our Church was not made up of only such people, as everyone knows; even if one of these, then this makes it especially wonderful to preach that fishermen, the most uneducated people, could suddenly convince people to accept such a teaching, which Plato and his followers could not invent. If they convinced only the wise, this would not be surprising; and if they led servants, old women and eunuchs to such wisdom that they made them like angels, then this is the greatest proof of their divine inspiration. If they taught something unimportant, then the conviction of such people could be cited as proof of the baseness of the teaching; and if they philosophized about important and lofty subjects, even beyond human nature and accessible to a lofty mind, then the less reasonable you imagine those who were convinced, the more wise and filled with the grace of God those who convinced will turn out to be. But, you say, did they convince with the greatness of their promises? And this very thing, tell me, doesn’t it really surprise you that they convinced people to expect rewards and rewards after death? This amazes me. But this too, you say, was due to unreason? From what kind of foolishness, tell me? That the soul is immortal, that after this life an impartial judgment awaits us, and we will give an account to God, who knows the most secret things, in words, deeds, and thoughts, and we will see the punishment of the wicked and the reward of the good - such convictions do not mean unreason, but great wisdom. 9. This very thing, to despise present blessings, to highly value virtue, to expect rewards not here, but to stretch hopes much further, to have a soul so strong and full of faith that no present disaster weakens hopes for the future - this, tell me, is not a sign of great wisdom? Do you want to see the power of the very promises and predictions and the truth of the past and the future? Look at the golden chain (of truths), woven in various ways from the beginning. (Christ) announced to the disciples about Himself, about the Church and future events, and, while announcing, performed miracles. The fulfillment of what He said serves as proof of the truth and miracles of His and future promises. To make this clearer, I will provide examples. Christ raised Lazarus, restoring his life in one word. He said: “the gates of hell will not prevail” against the Church (Matthew 16:18); also: “whoever leaves... father or mother... will receive a hundredfold and inherit eternal life” (Matthew 19:29). There is one miracle here - the resurrection of Lazarus, and two predictions, one of which is being fulfilled now, and the other will be fulfilled in the future. Look how all this is mutually confirmed. Anyone who would not believe that Lazarus was resurrected must believe this miracle according to the prediction regarding the Church: after all, what was said about it over so much time came true and was fulfilled subsequently: the gates of hell really did not prevail against the Church. Therefore, it is clear that he who spoke the truth in a prediction also performed a miracle, and he who performed a miracle and fulfilled what was said spoke the truth in predicting the future, i.e. that he who despises present blessings “will receive a hundredfold and inherit eternal life.” In what has already happened and has been said, there is a great guarantee of truth and what will be fulfilled in the future. Thus, borrowing all this and the like from the Gospels, we will speak to them (the pagans) and stop their mouths. If someone says: why has the (pagan) error not yet been completely destroyed? - to this we will answer: you yourself are guilty of this, acting against your salvation; and God arranged everything so that not even a trace of wickedness remained. Let us now briefly repeat what was said. What is more natural: for the weak to defeat the strong, or vice versa? Offering something easy or something difficult? Inclining towards something dangerous or something safe? Introducing something new, or confirming old customs? Leading on the path is inconvenient or convenient? Those who reject fatherly traditions, or those who inspire alien things? Promising everything pleasant after leaving here, or deceiving with hopes in the present life? Is it for the few to conquer the many, or for the many to conquer the few? But you say, and you promise something here. What are we promising here? Remission of sins and cleansing through the “wash of regeneration” (Titus 3:5). But baptism also brings more benefits in the future; and Paul says: “For you are dead, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When... your life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory" (Col. 3:3-4). If it delivers benefits here, as it really does, then it is especially and wonderful that the apostles could convince people who had committed countless sins that no one else had committed, that all their impurities would be washed away, and they would no longer give any account of their sins. Truly, it is especially and surprising that rude people were convinced to accept such a faith, to nurture good hopes in the future, to throw off the previous burden of sins with great zeal and immediately begin the exploits of virtue, not to cleave to anything sensual, to become above everything carnal and to accept spiritual gifts - that the Persian and the Sarmatian, the Moor and the Indian knew the purity of the soul, the power and ineffable love of God, the wisdom of God. faith, the influx of the Holy Spirit, the doctrine of the resurrection of bodies and eternal life. The fishermen taught the barbarian tribes to philosophize about all this and much more, enlightening them with the sacrament of baptism. Let us carefully preserve all this and tell them (the pagans), and together prove it to them with our own lives, so that we ourselves can be saved and turn them to the glorification of God, to whom be glory forever. Amen. These conversations were delivered by the saint in Antioch around 390. The paragraphs in the text were arranged by us – Editorial staff of “ABC of Faith” This phrase is marked as a quotation, but where it was taken from is unclear - I.I. Gr. “προσεθηκεν” – “attached” – I.I. In Russian translation “penetrates” – I.I. Gr. "εγω εδωκα αυτοις προσταγματα ". In the Synod. Translation, “he allowed them to establish...” (i.e., mistakenly understanding pagan customs by this) - I.I. You might be interested in: